[CCM Magazine] Meredith Andrews: Willing & Ready

After chatting with Meredith Andrews
on the phone for half an hour, one thing
is perfectly clear — she is a busy momma,
much like me, who is learning the fine art
of juggling work, family, ministry and the
rest of life. In other words, it was just like
talking to a friend I’d known for years. You
know, the kind that you tell everything,
knowing that that person is always a safe
place because, chances are, they’ve walked
a similar path.

That’s Meredith.

No pretense here. Although she has more
reason than most to carry her head high —
from her killer vocals to her beautiful hair
(the kind that most of us will never achieve
without the help
of a professional)
and a loving
family and church
with another baby
on the way —
Meredith is all
too aware that
the blessings in
her life are a gift.
And, to be sure,
she receives and
shares them with
gratitude and
humility.

“I know that God
has called me to
be a wife and a
mom and to write
songs for the church,” she says confidently.
“I just have to be wise with my time and
trust the Lord with the rest. He’ll give me
the capacity and grace to do what He’s
called me to do.”

It’s that confidence in God’s sovereignty and leading that shaped her latest album,
Worth It All, which releases January 22,
2013.

“When we first started the record about
two years ago, the direction we were going
wasn’t quite what I had in mind,” she
shares. “We had four or five songs done
and after listening, I just had to be honest
and say that it wasn’t really where my
heart was. I felt like I was writing songs to
fill space.”

So, she returned to the drawing board, so
to speak, after letting the label know that
she was going to do a worship record.

“That’s who I am,” she says. “I don’t even
know what another direction looks like.”
Between co-writing
in Nashville and
several earnest
prayers asking God
for songs, the real
Meredith came
pouring through.

“I wanted to write
songs for the body
of Christ to sing
back to the Lord in
corporate worship,
but I felt kind of
guilty because I
hadn’t asked Him
for songs,” she
explains. “I could
hear him saying,
‘You have not
because you ask not. Ask me for songs,
cause I have a lot of them.’”

She was then, in her own words, amazed,
humbled and overwhelmed with the
creative outpouring from the Lord. Soon,
she had songs that were reverent and passionate and simple, yet profound.

“The song, ‘The Gospel Changes
Everything,’ is God’s story. It’s the beauty
of the story of Jesus,” she says. “We were
talking about the Gospel and how it can
truly transform the lives of people. Nothing
added, nothing taken away.”

Knowing full well first-hand the power of
God in a life, Meredith is experiencing anew
every day how He has placed her on this
path and entrusted her with a family to
love and children to raise.

“I’m still learning the balance of family
and ministry, but when we’re not doing
music on the road, we’re doing it at our
church. It’s just so engrained in who
we are,” says Meredith, referring to her
husband who is the music director and
worship leader for Harvest Bible Chapel
in Chicago. That’s also where Meredith
serves as a part time worship leader, where
she was hired immediately following her
graduation from Liberty University.

Today, as she continues to navigate
the waters of recording artist, mom, wife
and minister, she’s everyday seeing God’s faithfulness in her dreams and hopes
coming true. From a little girl who wanted
music more than clothes growing up
(seriously!), it’s easy to see God’s anointing
on her voice and her ministry.

“When I was 17, I went to a Rebecca St.
James concert and she had some type of
call forward,” she remembers. “I went up
front and remember praying for whatever
He wanted with this music thing. I told Him,
‘Whatever you want, I want.’ And I heard
Him answer, ‘Be faithful where I’ve placed
you. Be faithful in the little things and I’ll
open the doors.’”

And from ministry in college to being on
staff at Harvest to her latest record with
Word, Meredith has heeded that command
and her faithfulness is now bearing rich
fruit. The soon-to-be mom of two (she’s
due early 2013), is a shining example of
faithfulness honored, gifts blossoming and
the love of God come to life. Despite the
busy-ness, the fatigue and the constant
juggling act, her latest project really says
it all — without question, He and the life He
has for us is most definitely Worth It All.